Ben Sinnott, TE Kansas State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Sinnott was a tight end recruit from Columbus Catholic High School in Waterloo, Iowa in the class of 2020
Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott is coming off one of the best performances of his career. The redshirt junior is in a weak tight end class and could compete for a third round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Ben Sinnott, TE Kansas State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Redshirt junior tight end from Waterloo, Iowa
Background: Sinnott was a tight end recruit from Columbus Catholic High School in Waterloo, Iowa in the class of 2020. He didn’t receive a star rating or national ranking from 247Sports, Rivals, On3.com, or ESPN. Sinnott originally committed to the University of South Dakota before enrolling at Kansas State. He lettered three times in high school and finished his career with 61 receptions for 958 yards and 22 touchdowns and 24 carries for 194 yards and five touchdowns on offense. On defense, he totaled 109 tackles, including 27.5 for loss, nine sacks, and four interceptions. Sinnott made the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association All-State Team as a tight end, wide receiver, and defensive end. He earned the Black Hawk County All-Metro Football Award on offense and defense in 2019. Sinnott also earned All-District honors. He also lettered in baseball, golf, tennis, track, and hockey. Sinnott’s cousin, Ashlee Sinnott, played volleyball at Northern Iowa. His other cousin, Zach Hammes, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round of the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft. Sinnott was born on June 14, 2002.
Injuries & Off-Field: Missed 2021 season opener with an injury from fall camp, missed second half of first TCU game (2022) with an injury, missed 2023 spring practice recovering from surgery
Awards: 2022 First Team All-Big 12 (Fullback), 2021-22 First Team Academic All-Big 12
Pros: Experience in the slot, in-line, and at H-back, sells that he’s blocking before leaking out on a route, plays through mid-route contact, quick feet at the top of the stem on comebacks, physical with defensive backs at the top of the stem, exploits holes in zone, very effective up the seam vs. zone, finds success on post routes, initial burst allows for some separation vs. linebackers in coverage, maintains speed into and out of breaks, most separation is generated with his smooth movement skills, comfortable making receptions along the sideline, gets low for difficult catches, high points the ball with defenders in his air space, comfortable making catchers over defenders when his chest is facing the ball, nice concentration grabs, defensive backs that go low bounce off his thigh pads, footwork helps him mirror and anchor, trusted to pull and block play-side, avoids the quick losses as a blocker
Cons: Four drops in 2022, dropped an over the shoulder catch-able ball vs. Alabama (2022), two big time drops against Alabama (2022) including a would-be touchdown, tracking ball over his shoulder, minimal special teams experience, arm length, schemed free releases, doesn’t challenge press coverage when lined up out wide, limited route tree, hip sink at the top of the stem is limited, routes are rounded, speed doesn’t generate vertical separation, top speed limits YAC upside, takes inconsistent angles to blocks, body positioning is inconsistent as a blocker, limited blocking strength, blocking technique and upside are poor, allows defenders into his chest as a blocker, falls off spin moves, doesn’t mirror defensive backs as a blocker in space
Overview: Sinnott only has minimal special teams experience, but he lines up in the slot, in-line, and at H-back for Kansas State’s offense. He sells that he’s blocking before leaking out on routes into open space. Sinnott plays through mid-route contact and is physical with defensive backs at the top of the stem. This allows him to shield the catch point from smaller players or unbalance the defender before uncovering. Sinnott’s quick feet at the top of the stem help on comeback routes. He generates inconsistent separation against man coverage but excels at exploiting holes in zone. The All-Big 12 selection is very effective up the seam against zone and finds success on post routes. His initial burst creates some separation against linebackers, but the defenders recover and get back into the route quickly since Sinnott lacks elite speed and agility. The tight end maintains speed into and out of breaks. He generates most of his separation with his smooth movement skills. Sinnott struggles to track balls over his shoulder and had two costly drops against Alabama (2022), but his ball skills are usually good. He’s comfortable making receptions along the sideline or getting low to dig throws out of the turf. Sinnott makes catches over defenders when his chest is facing the ball (like a basketball player going up for a rebound). He makes concentration catches while surrounded or crowded by defenders. The Iowa native’s footwork helps him mirror and anchor as a blocker. Kansas State asks him to pull and block play-side often. He avoids quick losses as a blocker but lacks the technique and understanding of body positioning to excel in the role. Sinnott takes inconsistent angles to blocks and has limited blocking strength. He allows defenders into his chest and doesn’t counter spin moves. The redshirt junior doesn’t mirror defensive backs as a blocker in space. Sinnott’s arm length will raise questions. The Wildcats scheme him plenty of free releases, and he doesn’t challenge press coverage when lined up out wide. Sinnott runs a limited route tree. He doesn’t sink his hips much at the top of his stem and rounds his routes. The former walk-on doesn’t generate vertical separation and lacks the top speed to generate yards after the catch.
Overall, Sinnott is a versatile playmaker capable of filling multiple roles for an offense, but he’s not a rare athlete or elite pass-catching threat. Sinnott’s ceiling for production at the next level makes him as valuable as a team’s third-leading receiver at best. He might be worth a top 100 selection for a creative offense but won’t hold that value in just a traditional in-line tight end role.
Role & Scheme Fit: Multi-purpose skill player in in-line, slot, and fullback alignments
Round Projection: Fourth Round
Size: 6'4", 245 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 08-23-23